Adventures into the Red Shoe Project and its’ subsequent off spring Red Shoe Zone were launched when a friend insisted I buy a pair of shoes that I didn’t think were ‘me’. She did.
She couldn’t have known at the time how right she was.
It wasn’t that I didn’t like the shoes, it’s just that they were red and (apparently) I had created a hard and fast rule for myself that I-only-wear-black-shoes. Ok big deal you say. Except that when I (finally) wore the red shoes entirely new visas opened up, I connected with fascinating people and the thought they provoked resembled an erupting volcano.
It was an innocuous old script (focusing on shoe colour after all) but the interesting thing was that I was clinging to it with a death grip. Somewhere along the line it seemed, I decided black shoes – were the way to go. It didn’t shop at shoes…..fling open my closet doors and as far as the eye could see…black, black and more black.
How far back did this black idea go? When I thought about it, it appeared to be 22 years. I had created a script for myself that said I-was-best-in-black. That’s who I was… comfort zone identified-case closed. Black had been allowed to take over and was driving my bus! Not good. The big question was why?
The black colour choice had been questioned before, by my daughter, who was 5 at the time, “mommy why do you always wear black when you are a colorful person?” I remember the question, it stopped me in my tracks but I chose not to think too deeply and brushed it aside saying, “I like the colour black, Kelly”. She persisted, “but black isn’t really a colour mommy”. I don’t remember my exact response but it was something like “well it is a colour to me Kelly”. Brilliant. Obviously, I did not see this as a teaching moment for her or me. Looking back, rational thought must have been lurking beneath the surface, because I never forgot the conversation. I had it filed away until the RED shoes showed up and the colour issue once again surfaced!
A-HA!
It’s not a colour issue it’s about old scripts, old beliefs that are no longer relevant being desperately held onto. Warm, fuzzy comfort zones surround them making certain they remain upheld. When I peeled back the layers of the colour script I could see it went back to a time when I wanted to be (perceived as) sophisticated, skinny AND (on a deeper level) I think I just wanted to blend in. Yep… that’s how I adopted my black style and locked ‘er down.
The scariest thing…..I was guessing that this wasn’t the only old script I was reading from. …I was betting there were plenty more to uncover. Holy Moly those red shoes walked me to the tip of an iceberg.
OK…I’m IN.
Now’s the time…I’ll be reexamining my scripts and beliefs. When I peek inside I can see a big pile –old ones, new ones—they’ll all be dusted off and looked at. Some will be discarded and others kept. For now I’m opening to colour and playing with a rainbow. I must admit wearing colour changes how I feel and therefore how I interact and reflect in the world. I LOVE it!
I have a big project ahead of me. In the meantime…spring has sprung and all the new, hopeful, happy colours are lining the racks. I’m leaning towards pink, mauve— and (of course) red! Then there’s green to consider. The Vancouver Sun this morning reports that green is the colour of 2013. The article goes on to say “green is known to be the most relaxing and restful colour to the human eye…it represents nature, energy and harmony, all thngs that relate to hope and renewal.” Now that sounds good! oooooooooommmmm
reACTION [to change in the response to stimulus]: Examine-Keep-Dispose
Got any old scripts hanging around?
Be on the lookout for them and when they surface ask self – “Do I believe this? “Is it relevant to my life today?” “How is it helping and /or hindering me?”
Keep those that are true today. Dispose of others. Replace with NEW.
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